


Wanna Make a Big Mistake?

by JadePegasus



Series: FAHC shots (EVERYBODY 🎶) [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue, Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - GTA, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Bars and Pubs, Betrayal, Fake AH Crew, Female Jack, First Meetings, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Jealousy, Light Angst, Origin Story, Pre-Fake AH Crew, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-01-15 19:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18505924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadePegasus/pseuds/JadePegasus
Summary: Five times Jack watched Geoff walk away, and one time she left with him.





	1. Wanna Watch Me Get Wasted?

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda continuation of the last one shot in the series, but these aren't gonna be chronological so just warning for the future k?

 Jack was seriously contemplating closing early for the night, it was almost ten thirty and her last customer had been around eight. It was a damn shame too, a few more beers and she would have had enough to pay for something other than rent that month.

 The door to the bar squeaked open, jolting Jack out of her thoughts and revealing a tired looking man with messy, brown hair. He looked half asleep, slouching over, eyes half closed, his legs just a little too far apart to be balancing easily. He looked like he might drop any second and the last thing Jack needed right now was a blackout drunk on her doorstep.

 But when the man's eyes met her own, they seemed to glimmer in the low light, and he swaggered up to her and leaned casually on the bar as if you couldn't smell the alcohol on him from five miles away.

 "Can I get a cocktail? Or something fancy?" He slurred, pulling out his wallet.

 Jack thought about her options. One, give this clearly heavily drunk man his drink and risk killing him, or two, refuse him for his own good. Or three...

 "Sure I'll get on it," she said, turning back to her drinks, she spun a few bottles around for show, then poured a glass of two parts water, three parts lemon juice, and one part tomatoe juice. She then turned back to the man and placed the drink in front of him.

 "Ten bucks," she stated.

 After handing over the cash, the man stared for a moment, picked up the glass, examined the bottom, then took a small sip, as if testing if Jack had poisoned it. He then set it back down and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

 "I asked for something fancy," he said.

 Jack rolled her eyes a picked up one of the little, pink, decorative umbrellas and placed it in the drunk's glass, backing away with some jazz hands for flare.

 The drunk snorted at the short show and nodded, gulping down the drink in one go and holding out the glass to her.

 "Can I get five more of these?" He asked.

 Jack was very happy to have gone with option three.

* * *

 Somewhere between "alcoholic" drink number eight and number ten, Jack and the drunk began chatting. Even through his heavily slurred speech and Achievement City accent, the guy told some pretty funny stories. Even if Jack thought half of them were bullshit, they guy had an interesting mind.

 It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, when door squeaked open once more that either of them stopped talking.

 A man in dark jeans and a suit jacket looked around the establishment. When he spotted the drunk at Jack's bar, he scowled and stomped over to him.

 " _This_ is where you've been!?" He said, grabbing the drunk and harshly turning him so they faced each other, "I've been up all night waiting for you to get back to the base, and you've been _bar hopping_!?"

 "I've only been to two bars," the drunk tried to defend himself, but the angry man went on as if he hadn't spoken.

 "I thought you got got! Do you know how anxious I got?! What would we do if something happened to you, huh? If you suddenly went missing, or ended up dead in an ally somewhere because you stumbled into a Charon tagged bar? What would I tell the guys? What would I tell _Gavin_?!"

 This seemed to sober the drunk up a bit, he cleared his throat and looked up guiltily, "I'm sorry, okay? The last run was stressful, I needed to let off some steam before I came back."

 Jack slowly leaned against the far side of the bar, a part of her feeling like she wasn't meant to hear this. It was awkward.

 The angry man huffed, crossing his arms, "Yeah, well, at least text me or something the next time you do this, got it?"

 The drunk rubbed his neck, "Yeah," he sighed, "I got it."

 The drunk turned back to Jack, pulling out his wallet once more, "Thanks for the drink. Here a tip." He slapped a few bills down on the table before walking past the angry man, who looked like he'd just realized Jack was there, "a bit expensive for lemon water but the talk was good. You should go places."

 Jack watched the two men exit with something like confusion and awe, Unsure if she had witnessed some kind of business deal or a lover's spat. She then looked down at the bills the drunk had given her as a tip.

 Five hundred dollars. 

Not bad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All shipping is up to you, let me know what you like


	2. Wanna Have a Drink With Me?

 Jack's usual slow hours had begun and she was taking the time to wipe down her establishment. She was unpleasantly surprised to find someone had hurled in the corner without her noticing before. She was just finishing up when the door squeaked.

 "You should get that oiled," Jack turned to find the drunk from a few nights ago, looking far more sober, but just as ragged.

 "It's cheaper than a bell," she said, coming back around the bar to properly greet the man.

 The man shrugged, "Can't argue that, guess. I'll take two beers, or at least something with alcohol in it this time, if you don't mind." He smirked.

 Jack chuckled, "I'm surprised you could tell with the state you were in," she said as she poured the pints for the man.

 "I always know when I'm getting what I paid for," the drunk said, sipping one pint. Then, much to Jack's surprise, pushed the second towards her.

 She looked at the man, silently questioning.

 "For you," he stated, "I thought we could get to know each other better. Last time.. you were decent. Not many people would've done that."

 "I don't drink on the job." Jack nudged the beer back towards the man, "especially not in front of customers."

 "Then maybe make yourself one of those lemon waters you like so much," he said with a shrug, as though it was of no consequence whether she took the offer or not.

 Jack, against her better judgement, took the beer. She didn't drink it, and was on the fence about if she would, but she held the handle to be polite. This was all the man apparently needed.

 "So, you have a name or do I just need to call you Lemon Juice?"

 "It's Jack," she said.

 The man smiled, "Is that short for Jacklyn or Jackleen?"

 "It's just Jack, thanks," Jack said with a small huff, "and what about you? You gotta name, or is it just the Drunk?"

 The man laughed, " _The_ Drunk? I could live with that, yeah. But it's Geoff, actually."

 "Nice to meet you Geoff," Jack said, holding her hand out, which Geoff took and the two shook firmly.

 The two spoke for about an hour, neither of their drinks really emptying. On different topics from sports to politics, to video games, which took over most of the conversation.

 "This place is really nice," Geoff finally said, "I can't believe I didn't know about it before now."

 "Well," Jack sighed, "I guess it's pretty out of the way. I don't get a lot of people, y'know?"

 Geoff hummed thoughtfully, "I can see that. It's a shame, really, you make pretty good drinks, and hold some awesome conversation. Though I think the quiet is nice."

 "Yeah, well, I might have to close it up soon if it gets any more quiet. I'm barely making rent as it is," Jack gestured around the bar to the stairs leading up to her apartment, " I might have to move to the St. Doyle's Street Home after this."

 Geoff paused, bringing his hand up to his face and tapped his cheek thoughtfully, "Yeah... That'd suck."

 "I mean, I've been there before. They're good people," Jack insisted, "they really wanna help people down there. I met this one kid, Ray, he was a cool dude. He left for New Grizzlie to live with some friends before I left, but he calls me sometimes."

 "Neat," Geoff said, then emptied his beer in one shot, "How much does this place cost, anyway? Like as a whole?"

 Jack shrugged, "two hundred, three hundred thousand, maybe three-fifty."

 "That's cheep as dicks, dude!" Geoff said, sitting back on the stool, "this place looks amazing! It's got that homey atmosphere, how is it so little!?"

 Jack laughed and rolled her eyes, "I don't know where you consider that cheep, but I'll tell you, it looked a lot worse before I worked here. The owner doesn't really give a shit. He's just looking to make a quick buck."

 "I'll bet!" Geoff barked, "Here, let me help you out." He pulled out a check book.

 Jack immediately moved to stop him, "Oh, no way, Geoff. You don't need to-"

 "Ah, ah, ah," Geoff shushed her, "Lemmie do this. I like you, I do this for people I like," Geoff shifted in his seat as he handed Jack the check, "you give this to your boss, and tell them to fuck themselves, cause they ain't gonna be your boss much longer."

 Jack looked over the check and blanched. Sixty hundred thousand dollars stared up at her in black ink. On a real check. that was right in front of her. And in the corner was a small signature that read; "Geoff Ramsey".

 Geoff Ramsey? Like the second in command of the Cockbite gang Geoff Ramsey? The same Geoff Ramsey that killed Butch "Butcher" Flowers while looking him in the eye and dismantling the entire Freelancer gang?

 "Lemmie know how it goes," Geoff called as he left his seat, "If he gives you any trouble about it, I'll take care of them. He'll come around if I talk to them."

 Jack watched him leave, absolutely speechless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know your thoughts and theories! Also any spelling mistakes if you catch em.


	3. Wanna Meet My Boss?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating. I was working on the next part for the Blood Gulch Freelancers series. Go check that out if you like my AUs and RvB

  After waiting a week before finally purchasing the building from her ex-boss, she closed the place for a day and waited outside for Geoff to come around. When he inevitably did, excitedly asking how her ex-boss reacted when given the check, she took the opportunity to chew him out about not telling her. The two eventually made up with Geoff apologizing for scaring her, and Jack promising to give discounts to any Cockbites that may stumble in in the late hours of the night, which began happening more frequently over the next month.

 Geoff, however, made a point to come when the bar was mostly empty, so the two could talk and drink together with little to no inhabitants. She was also introduced to the Cockbites core powers, including the boss himself, Burnie Burns. That night had been something to remember.

 "Jack," Geoff said, gesturing to each other man with a wave of his hand, "this is Burnie, Gus, Joel, Dan, Jason, and Matt." He then turned to the others and held his arms out to frame the bartender, "Guys, this is Jack. She owns this place, so don't get us all banned. _Jason_."

 "You provoke one shootout.." Jack heard the  man mumble under his breath before stepping forward and holding out his hand in greeting "Hi, Jason, nice to meet you. Heard a lotta good about this place. Mostly the drinks, so if I could get one of those?"

 "Let's all say hello, first, jackass," Gus grumbled, shaking Jack's hand next, "I'm Gus, the brains of the operation."

 "That is such bullshit," Geoff scoffed, crossing his arms. He then nudged the black haired, tall man from the night he and Jack had first met.

 The guy stepped forward and extended his hand a little farther than necessary, "Burnie Burns," he said in a flat tone.

 Jack felt her blood freeze as his hand clamped down on hers. Burnie Burns was known as a man on his way to becoming one of the biggest mafia bosses on the east side of the Roost, maybe even the _entire_ district. But what the man was infamous for was his temper. Stories of the pettiest things sending him to put a hit on some poor dumbass, or worse, dealing with it himself, were so common that some were afraid to even look at the man when he passed the streets.

 Jack's wide eyes stared into Burns' hard glare and they both stood frozen for when felt like an eternity for Jack. Then, suddenly, he burst into a wide grin.

 "I don't think we were properly introduced last time. I've heard a lot of great things about you."

 The rest of the night went by a lot smoother after that. Despite how loud Burnie got, and his reputation, he was an incredibly friendly man who took as much nonsense as he dished out. He and Geoff sat next to each other most of the night, getting progressively more drunk with everyone else. Drunk Burnie was a little more aggressive than Burnie, but anytime he _actually_ sounded mad, Geoff was there to cool him off. Gus and Matt were friendly enough, Matt blew her away with stories from his job as a Peace Keeper while Gus sprinkled in little facts that were 80% bullshit. Jason was a flirt, but a playful flirt, and despite his talk of women and wiles, after his fourth drink it was easy to see that his one true love would always be his favorite racecar. Dan was a boisterous fellow, who couldn't hold his liquor for shit but seemed completely unaware of the fact as he progressively slid further onto the floor with each fruity drink Jack served him. And Joel...

 Joel was odd.

 He was quiet, downing the first two beers Jack poured for him and then seemingly content to nurse his third for the rest of the night. Despite his standoffish attitude, he was quick to banter, always jumping in on the others conversations with something witty, or biting, or just unexpected, that would make the table roar with laughter.

 Jack eventually got used to them, and when the early morning hours arrived, Geoff slung an arm around her shoulders gave a tired half-hug.

 "I'm glad they like you," he mumbled, watching everyone muddle out the door, "I'm glad _he_ likes you," he gestured to Burnie, who was sharing the weight of Dan's unconscious body with Jason, the tall man looked over his shoulder at the two of them and gave an exaggerated kissy face. Geoff flipped him off and he snorted and turned back, seemingly content with the response.

 "I'm glad you like them too," he sighed, "not a lot of people do."

 Jack snickered, "I find that hard to believe."

 "It's true!" He insisted, "What can I say, we're a special breed," he cracked his knuckles and looked at the other Cockbites thoughtfully, "Thanks for tonight, we really needed a day like this."

 Jack followed Geoff's eyes and saw they were still glued to the back of Burnie's head.

We indeed.

 "I don't think I've ever had a bad day at this place," Geoff continued, pulling himself away from Jack to follow the others, "I wish we'd met when we were younger, I might have made less mistakes."

 "What mistakes?" Jack asked, only half joking, "driving home drunk?"

 "You may not believe this, but I actually drive better when I'm drunk," Geoff said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

 "You serious?" She asked.

 "Yep."

 "You're fucking with me."

 "Yep!" He laughed, shutting the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know your thoughts and theories! And let me know if you catch any spelling oopsies


	4. Wanna Comfort My Kid?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shipping is here. Also angst! Cause I can't write without it

 Jack was in the back room, putting her liquor away after closing for the night, when she heard the front door slam open. It was a bit late for Geoff to be showing up, but it wasn't the first time he'd picked her lock to have a drink with her. He always tended to announce his arrival after the first time she'd clocked him with the butt end of the shotgun under her bar for scaring her. So, naturally Jack called out to him.

 "Just a second," she said, "I'll get the beer back out!"

 However, when she entered the front room, three beers in hand, one for herself and two for Geoff, (he'd been limiting himself lately,) she found that the person standing in her bar after close wasn't Geoff Ramsey, but a small, tan, extremely thin boy with messy light brown hair and tear tracks down his face.

 Jack put the drinks down immediately and almost leaped the bar to hold the kid. Somewhere in her mind said that this could be a trap. That the kid might try to stab her the second she got close enough and take the cash from the register. It wouldn't be the first time someone played her sympathy to rob her, but he was a _kid_. She couldn't pull a gun on a kid for no reason.

 She brought the kid into a hug against her, rubbing the back of his head as he cried into her chest while she made soft shushing sounds.

 "Hey, _heeey,_ kid." She said, "it's okay. It's okay. What's wrong?"

 The kid whined, pushing his face away from Jack's body to look up at her. He had wide, green eyes, and a big nose that looked like it had been broken recently. She also noticed a few bruises on his arms, and one big patch on the lower side of his left eye, they were faded, but still looked painful.

 Jack felt anger grip her as she stared at the kid. She'd just met him, but he was so gangly and cute that the thought of anyone hurting this kid made painful sparks of rage pop off in her stomach.

 "Kid, where'd you get those bruises," she said, looking into his eyes, she must have said it harsher than she meant because the kid whimpered and tried to pull away from her. Jack quickly reassured him, "I mean, honey, no. It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise."

 The kid didn't pull away again, but he was still tense.

 "I'm sorry, I just wanna know if you're okay. Are your parents good to you? Do you _have_ parents?" She asked, suddenly concerned as to why a kid who was definitely not at _any_  country's legal drinking age was in her bar at two in the goddamn morning.

 "I'v- I've got a dad," the kid said in a heavy British accent that Jack had **_not_** been expecting, "An' he didn' 'av anything to do with these," he gestured down to his arms, "I' was an-" he hiccuped as his tears slowed, "was n' accident. S'oll it was. I... Fell."

 Jack could see right through the kids bullshit in a second, but the kid looked like he was regretting coming into the bar. He looked ready to bolt, and Jack didn't want the poor kid wandering the streets at night. Or worse, going back home to an abusive father. She decided not to push him, for now.

 She instead led the kid behind her bar, noting his slight limp and filing it away for later, and grabbed some syrup out of a cabinet. She then turned to him with a smirk.

 "You wanna help me make some snow cones?" She asked, pointing the the glass fridge that held the shaved ice she used for summer snow vodka drinks.

 The kid's eyes lit up, staring up at Jack with such an earnest look she had to physically squeeze her side to keep from laughing in the kid's face. He nodded eagerly.

 "Alright, but first, I'm gonna need a name," she said, and watched the kid silently debate the pros and cons of the situation.

 Eventually, straight sugar won out, "It's Gavin, Gavin Free, Ma'am."

 "Alright, Gavin," Jack said sweetly, "What's you favorite flavor?"

* * *

Gavin was a fucking delight.

 He was funny, and good spirited. Not to mention adorable. The kid spent half the next two hours licking his snow cone like a small kitten licking a ball of ice. He debated the most bizarre topics that Jack had never thought of in her _dreams_ , but he seemed to think it was a natural occurrence.

 "Ok, ok, my turn," Jack said, smiling widely at the kid, "you get a million dollars, but every time you sneezed, you grew an extra arm."

 "I'd do it!" Gavin said confidently.

 "Seriously?!" Jack asked, "You'd be covered in arms!"

 "Yea'" Gavin shrugged, "but arms a' useful, in'they? I could do a lot with more arms. If you'd said somethin like noses, then I woulda said no!"

 "Yeah, who'd want more of that?" She poked his large nose playfully, snickering to herself as he started spluttering his offense.

 "S'not tha big," he defended, turning away from Jack with a huff to stare at a wall that happened to have Jack's clock on it."

 He jumped to his feet, " _Blimey!_ It's that late?! 'm sorry, Jack, Ma'am, I gotta go! They'll awll be worrying about me!"

 "Gavin," Jack said, her concerns about the boy's home life reappearing, "it's okay, if you want to stay the night, I can talk to your dad about it when it's daytime-"

 "No! Jack, Ma'am," Gavin said, " m'sorry about this, but I shouldn'ta come out 'ere to begin with. Everyone'll be worried sick!" He started at her with his fists clenched, looking perfectly ready to fight Jack if it was necessary to leave. Of course, if it came down to it, Jack was sure she could crush that string cheese body like a peanut shell, but she didn't want the kid to not trust her. She she heaved a sigh.

 "Alright, but at least let me drive you.."

* * *

 Jack took her bike, with Gavin riding behind her, clutching onto her jacket and burying his head between their bodies as she'd instructed since she didn't have a spare helmet that would fit him. She followed his vague directions, and after a bit of weaseling a bit more location information out of him, found them at a large house by the edge of the city limits. It looked nearly abandoned from the outside, but fresh tire tracks up the driveway leading to a wide, state-of-the-art looking garage door lead her to believe that people were living there.

 They'd barely made it two steps up the walkway when a familiar voice screeched out of an open window.

 ** _"GAVIN!?!"_** Geoff Ramsey burst out of the front door, scooping up the young Brit and pressing him close to his chest, " _Ohhh my goooood,_ we were looking for you all night!"

 "M'sorry, dad," Gavin said, lightly weeping into the man's shoulder, "S'just, everyone was mad, n' it was _my fault_ , n'-"

 "Gavvy," Geoff said sternly, still pressing their faces together, "it was _not you fault_ , okay? No one was mad at you. Burnie and I were just talking about the heist."

 "Loud talk," Gavin mumbled, loud enough for Jack to hear.

 Geoff just sighed, turning back to the house to wave at it, "He's back! He's back, and he's fine!"

 Jack looked up at the front door of the old house and was even more shocked than she already was to see three more children crowding the doorway. There were two boys, one shorter, with jet black hair and a hooked nose, the other with dark brown hair that looked styled in a "just the right kind of wrong" kind of look, and one girl, with frizzy blonde hair and a pretty face with a round button nose. They all looked a few years older than Gavin, at least two, she would guess.

 "Jack," Jack's head jerked back to the two in front on her to see Geoff looking at her like she'd just saved his life, "oh my God, Jack. How did you find him?"

 "Uhh.." Jack started, but was cut off by Gavin himself.

 "I broke into her bar," he mumbled, looking guiltily between the two, "I didn't know there was anyone in there. I thought, maybe, it'd be better if I got drunk. Like you do when Bur-"

 "YOU _WHAT_!?!" Geoff screeched, he looked up at Jack, "You _did not_ give him alcohol! I _know_ you didn't!"

 Jack shook her head quickly, "Of course not, we made snow cones together and talked."

 Geoff huffed a sigh of relief, "okay, okay. Sorry just-... Sorry, it's been a stressful couple days, I haven't been able to stop by."

 Jack shrugged, feeling as awkward as when she had first met Geoff and not liking it one bit, "it's fine, you've got more important things than a late drink. I can see that," good Lord could she see that.

 "Well, hey," Geoff said, "you're important too, y'know."

 "Geoff," Gavin mumbled into Geoff's shoulder, "I like her. She let me drink colored syrup right out of the bottle. It tasted like shit, but she let me do it."

 "That sounds cool as dicks buddy," Geoff laughed weakly, and Jack could see the dried tear tracks under Geoff's beard, they were a few hours old by the look and he hadn't bothered to wipe them away. He must have really been frantic.

 "Maybe you can stop by tomorrow," she suggested, "I feel like there are some people I have yet to be introduced to," she waved at the kids in the doorway. The three shrieked playfully and dashed out of sight.

 Geoff giggled, high and hysterical, clearly tired, "yeah, maybe tomorrow night. A little earlier than one in the fucking morning though."

 "Yeah." Jack agreed.

 "GAVIN FREE!" Jack could swear the ground shook at the sheer rage from that voice.

 Burnie Burns bolted out of the house, running right up to Gavin and grabbing him by his shoulders, "DO YOU _FUCKING KNOW_ HOW LONG YOU WERE GONE?!? HOW LONG WE WERE OUT _LOOKING FOR **YOU**_!? I HAD A FUCKING HEART ATTACK, YOU'RE STILL FUCKING INJURIED!! GUS AND DAN ARE STILL PAROLING FOR YOU! YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL _ANYONE_ WHERE YOU WERE GOING!? DO YOU KNOW HOW **STUPID** THAT WAS!!"

 "Burnie, calm the fuck down!" Geoff said, putting a hand between the two, "I already gave him the talk, you don't need to guilt trip him anymore!"

 "YOU'RE FUCKING TAKING THIS!?" Burnie did not appear sated, "HE COULD HAVE DIED, OR GOTTEN KIDNAPPED BY A RIVAL GANG, AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN _NOTHING_ WE COULD FUCKING DO!"

 "he's fifteen, he knows which streets not to go on." Geoff tried to reason.

 "OH, SO NOW HE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF!? YOU FUCKING HYPOCRITE! YOU'RE STILL JUST DISAGREEING WITH ME FOR THE FUCKING HELL OUT IT!" Burnie's yelling had reattached the three house children, peaking out from various windows. Gavin looked frightened, hiding half behind Geoff but still wanting to be close to the others man.

 "THERE'S A _BIG **FUCKING** DIFFERENCE_ FROM WALKING AROUND BY HIMSELF AND PUTTING HIM UNDER _LITERAL_ FUCKING **GUNFIRE** BURNS! I TOLD YOU HE WASN'T READY! Geoff seemed to have blown a fuse, his volume growing to match Burnie, then he looked down clenching his fists by his side, "I'm... We're done talking about this. We're _both_ tired. We can discuss it in the morning like fucking adults who fucking deal with their problems rationally, okay?"

 "Geoff!"

 "No! Sleep! Now!" He ordered, pointing to the house, "you put Gavin to bed, you don't say anything about what happened, and then you make sure Barb, Chris and Aaron are _ACTUALLY SLEEPING_!"

 Three heads darted out of site.

 "- and then we both go to sleep! Separately! Got it!?"

 "Geoff-"

 "I'm not discussing it Burns!" Geoff commanded.

 Burnie glared at Geoff for a long moment, before leading Gavin away and back to the house.

 "I missed you," Jack heard Gavin say quietly as he was lead away.

 "Yeah, I missed you, you fucking weasel," Burnie responded, his voice softer.

 Geoff rubbed his eyes and turned back to Jack, "I'm sorry you had to see that-" he started, but Jack cut him off.

 "No, it's okay, you're allowed to fight, but.." she hesitated, Geoff waited with a tired but encouraging look, "I saw that heist of you guys on the news a few days ago. It said one of you got shot, and Gav-"

 "Yeah," Geoff said in a puff of air, "it was his first time. I wanted him on radio with Gus, but Burnie convinced me to agree to let him on the field. We got fucked up. Bad. Fortunately the bullet only grazed his leg, but still.." Geoff turned to enter his house, only turning back to grin at Jack.

 "Don't worry though, we're still on for tomorrow. I wanna know about these snow cones of yours." He closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really late. I'm sure I'm gonna look at this in the morning and find so many mistakes. If you can find some for me that'd be great


	5. Wanna Hear Some Bullshit?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late night post. But we're almost at the end guys!

 "Jack! I'm here!" Geoff crowed as he burst through Jack's squeeky door, Geoff glared at the offending piece of woodwork with pure annoyance, "still haven't gotten this fucker fixed," he growled.

 Jack squinted at her friend in confusion, is wasn't unlike Geoff to tease her about the squeeky door, but the hostility was new, "I thought you liked my door."

 "Yeah, well," Geoff hiccuped, "depends on the mood. I _guess_."

 That was when Jack realized; Geoff was alone. It had been months since he came without Burnie or Gavin, and even longer since he came in _already_ _drunk_. Not just his usual drunk, really, very truly _hosed_. It took a shit ton of alcohol to even make Geoff loose the ability to walk in a straight line, not only that, but he was _showing up_ drunk. Something he hadn't done since they _first met_. And Geoff wasn't typically an angry drunk either. Something was up.

 "Geoff," she asked, slowly shifting a bottle of tequila under the bar counter in case he tried to grab it, "what's up?"

 "Th- the fuckin ceiling!" Geoff barked out, then laughed at his own shitty joke as he flopped himself onto a barstool.

 Jack tried to look directly at him, but he kept avoiding her gaze, despite how unfocused he was, he was still holding out on her, she could tell.

 "You wanna know what else is up?" He slurred, thumping his head down on the counter with an aggravated sigh, "You- y- ou wanna _fuckin know?”_

 Jack hesitantly nodded, suddenly unsure of this new, pissy behavior.

 "Burns's a _fuckin dumbass,_ is up!" Geoff growled, "you, you know... Uh, Ash?"

 "Ashley?" Jack questioned, she recalled that the blonde had joined the crew recently, only a couple months, but she'd seemed good at her job, and responsable. She was usually the one who picked up Aaron and Chris from her bar whenever they snuck out and Burnie wasn't available.

 Geoff laughed humorlessly, "y-yeah, she, she's fuckin _great_ , huh?! She's so good, and pretty, and- and _sober_!!"

 Geoff got quiet, his face hidden against the bar with his arms over her head.

 "Geoff?" Jack said, reaching out to rub his shoulder.

 "I- I m-mean" Geoff's shoulders started to shiver, and his voice became shakey, "I get it... She.. she's good. I'm- .. I've always been, been a wreck. Look at me!" Geoff raised his face to meet Jack, his eyes had turned red from forced back tears, "I'm not- h-he didn't have to pretend, you know? I knew the whole thing, this whole fuckin crew thing, it was a crazy idea! It's a miracle it worked out! Not- but not everything can work out like that, right? So.. so it's not a big deal. I- I already know it was a fuckin mistake! He didn't have to fake it!" Geoff's voice slowly raised, "He don't- I ca- I'm a fucking adult! We're fucking _adults_! He didn't have to go behind my-! Gaah!"

 Jack wanted to hit something. She had an idea of what had happened, but she wanted to confirm before doing anything rash. 

 "Geoff, come on buddy, talk to me," she encouraged him with small Pat's on the back, "what happened?"

 "Bur- Burnie and Ash ar- are engaged," he said, his voice cutting out as if he was being choked, "th- they just announced it tonight."

 Jack jerked back, stunned, "but I thought you and Burnie were happy-"

 "Nope," Geoff cut her off, "We were never anything official. Burns," he choked up a sound that sounded more like a whine than a laugh, "h- he tried. So many times. We talked about it. B-but I- I was scared. I didn't want to put a label on anything, c- cause I thought, it- I wasn't ready. I - I guess he got tied of waiting."

 "But he's only known Ashley for two months!" Jack tried to reason, refusing to believe what she was hearing.

 Geoff locked eyes with Jack, a sudden hostile fire belowing behind his gaze, "that's what _I_ thought."

 Jack really wanted to punch something. Preferably Burns. More preferably Burns' dick.

 "I'll kill him for you," she offered, deadly serious as she imagined all the ways she might do it.

 Geoff shook his head quickly, "No, no, it- it's not a good idea. We.. Burns and I, it'd been a while since we'd done anything. I- I think it was that night with Gav- that's what kicked it off, but- but really, it was happening before that. We barely saw each other by the time Ash joined in an- and I, I can't blame him. She's, she's gonna be better. Don't hate her Jack, and don- don't hate Burnie. Please."

 Jack forced herself to calm down, the only way she could think was to grab the previously hidden tequila and pop the cap before pouring four shots.

 "I think you deserve a bit more tonight," she explained at Geoff's look, pushing over two shots.

 Geoff watched Jack down the first two shots with an unreadable expression. He sniffed, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

 "He's not worth messing up your shirt," Jack said firmly, pointing an accusing finger, "and he's definitely not worth those tears."

 "Yes he is," Geoff said, "he's worth a fucking ocean of tears, you don't even know."

 "Still not worth the shirt," she said.

 "It's not like it's a tux Jack, Jesus," he chuckled. Geoff glanced down at the shots, then shoved them both away roughly, "I'm drunk enough." He stated.

 "So what do you want to do then?"

 "I _want_ to jump off a fucking cliff," he said bluntly, "but I never get to do what I want to do, so I'm doing the next best thing. I'm gonna confront Burns."

 Jack raised an eyebrow, "You sure that's a good idea? To do that right now?"

 "I'm actually a better conversationalist when I'm drunk," he said, smirking, "I just,.." he sighed, "I needed to talk to someone. I was upset. I'm still upset, but like, more clearly."

 "I'll still kill him if you want," Jack offered again, and again one hundred percent serious.

 Geoff laughed, full and hearty this time, though his voice was scratchy and worn out, "I know you will. I'll keep it in mind depending how it goes."

 Geoff stood up and brushed himself off, "Time to be an adult," he mumbled mostly to himself, and turned to Jack, "can I come back here to spend the night?"

 "Always," Jack promised, "I'll even take the couch for you."

 "Well don't I feel like a princess," he said, and as he turned to leave, he stopped as he was halfway through the door, walked back to the bar, and downed one of the remaining shots, "just gotta be a little more better at talking," he joked before leaving for real.

 Jack stared at the swinging door, contemplating what was to come next.

 She downed the last shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the angst, but don't be too mad at Burnie. (Even though cheating is fuckin disgusting)
> 
> Remember this is all from Jack's perspective


	6. Wanna Start a Gang?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> +1
> 
> LLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTEEEEEEE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo
> 
> I accidentally posted this before it was done and deleted it pretty quick
> 
> So sorry if y'all got any notifications or anything and then got really fuckin confused
> 
> That was my fault
> 
> ....  
> As always, if you see any misspellings or anything in the story you think I could improve on. Or any thoughts on where to go next. Are appreciated.

Geoff moved into Jack's spare bedroom.

 Jack had worried for days after Geoff had left her bar a drunk, heartbroken mess. Worried he'd killed Burnie, worried Burnie killed him, worried he'd  _actually_  jumped off a cliff. But he showed up three days later, more put together than she'd ever seen him, besides the dark bags under his eyes, claiming that he and Burnie worked everything out.

 For the next four months, Geoff lived with Jack. No one from the Cockbites came to her bar anymore, which was a blow to her business but living with Geoff Ramsey apparently came with an endless supply of money so neither of them were too upset. Gus had stopped by once, saying he was there for Geoff's wellbeing, claiming he hadn't been speaking with anyone besides Burnie since the incident. Geoff didn't come down to see Gus when Jack asked, and the man ended up silently glaring at the steps leading up to the living space for an hour before signing in defeat and leaving, asking Jack in a thinly veiled threat to take care of him.

  It became a routine. Jack and Geoff would have breakfast together, Geoff would leave for the Cockbites base of operations before Jack opened, Geoff would come back a little after closing and help clean up, every other day, he would bring Gavin, they would have dinner together, then Joel or Gus would come to pick Gavin up, and the two would either stay up late watching TV, or go right to bed. Every now and again, at least twice a month, the TV in the bar would break from whatever was playing to cover a heist the Cockbites were doing. On those days Geoff wouldn't come back until late into the night, usually drunk, and rambling incoherently about the job.

 Jack asked him a few times why he still worked with Burns after everything that had happened, but Geoff refused to give a clear answer, mumbling something about the "understanding" he had with the other man. Jack knew it was bullshit, she could see him barely holding it together, as if he was a stack of cards ready to tumble over.

 It had been one of these drunk nights where Jack had been having trouble sleeping, so she decided to wait in the bar for Geoff to get home. Sure enough, around two A.M., Geoff stumbled in and sat down next to her. They were quiet for a while, Jack not wanting to accidentally set Geoff off and Geoff just looking embarrassed for his inebriated state. Eventually Geoff started talking about his past, before Burnie, even before getting into the criminal world, when he was a military photographer. Jack had perked at this, happy to find a similar past with her friend she hadn't previously known, and told a story of herself when she was in the Air Force.

 Curiously, this caused Geoff to go silent for a moment, looking carefully at nothing as he processed the information given to him.

 "What kinda stuff were you flying?" He asked finally, turning slightly to make eye contact with his friend.

  Jack shrugged, "Kind of everything? What with people still rebuilding, and repopulating and everything. There weren't a lot of people in the devision, so I learned everything they gave me," she began listing them off, "A-10 Thunderbolt, C-130 Hercules, F-15, F-22,.."

 "You ever fly a helicopter?" Geoff asked abruptly.

 Jack shrugged, "A couple, yeah, a Pave Hawk and an Osprey. Why."

 Geoff shrugged and stood up, "Nothin'. I'm tired, see you in the morning Jack."

 Jack nodded, slightly befuddled.

* * *

 It wouldn't be until a whole month later that Jack learned the significance of that conversation.

 It was a normal morning. Jack was setting up the bar and wiping tables while Geoff showered, when the door swung open, making Jack look up, startled.

 Motherfucking Burnie Burns stood in her entrance.

 Jack felt her blood boiling at the sight of him. She hadn't laid eyes on the man since before his and Geoff's fight, and he looked as good as ever. Sharply dressed, with his head held high and a air about him that Jack once thought made him seem amazingly confident. Now though, everything about him seemed spoiled in some way, he looked pompous, and apathetic, this was the kind of man that would cheat on his partner of six years for months before dropping him and acting like nothing had happened at all. It had been him the whole time, but only now could Jack see the carelessness in him.

 She was half tempted to jump right over the bar that separated them and sock him in the jaw. It wouldn't make up for anything in her eyes, or Geoff's, but damn! Would it feel good.

 Unfortunately, this was still the most powerful man in the Roost District, and punching him out of no where could mean bad things for Jack. Especially if the two of them were already on thin ice.

 So instead she chose to address him with every bit of malice she could muster into one sentence.

 " ** _What do you want?"_** she hissed, her teeth grinding together at being forced to address the man.

 Burnie's face twisted from apathetic to a loose sneer as he responded, "I'm here for Geoff. We have a heist tonight, a big one, and we _really_ need him sober for this.

 " _Maybe he wouldn't drink so much on jobs if he didn't despise every moment with you,"_ She growled, suddenly not caring how painful Burnie could make her death, he hurt her best friend and deserved to get shot in the dick. Maybe then he could keep it to himself.

 Burnie looked ready to respond with something just as biting, but that was when Geoff stumbled, his wet hair was plastered to his forehead and his belt hung undone from a pair of black dress pants. His shirt was hanging loosely from his shoulders and the first button was done in the wrong hole as he struggled with the tie hooked awkwardly around his neck.

 "Jack, do you know how to tie-" Geoff cut himself off when he saw Burnie standing in the bar, "Burns..."

 "Geoff," Burnie responded numbly, his face softening, "I- I came to pick you up."

 "Thanks," Geoff said, looking down at his tie as if it had just told him his goldfish had died. He glanced up at his boss, "You look good."

 "Thanks," Burnie said, stepping forward, only to halt mid-step when Geoff shuffled toward Jack slightly in response, "You look.. good.. too."

 Geoff shrugged, "If you say so."

 Burnie looked physically pained at the response, and Jack could see regret flash through his eyes.

  _"Good,"_ She thought, walking around to put a hand on Geoff's shoulder,  _"Motherfucker should feel like worse than shit."_

 "Well, I still need like," Geoff gestured around the bar, "breakfast and shit, so... You can stick around if you want."

 It was obvious that no one in the room wanted Burnie to stick around. Burnie himself probably being the most desperate to go.

 But, for some reason, he still cocked his head to the side, avoiding looking at Jack, and shrugged, "Sure."

* * *

"What if I poured coffee in my cereal instead of milk?" Geoff asked no one in particular as he looked down at a bowl of corn flakes, which was the only breakfasty thing Jack had at the moment.

 "What if you didn't?" Burnie snapped back, seemingly on reflex, then froze, glancing at Jack.

 Jack was furious, how dare he say anything to him?!

 But Geoff just laughed.

 "You're a fucking idiot," Burnie continued, holding Geoff's tie in his hands as he tried to untangle it for him.

 "I know," Geoff chuckled, looking down to fix his buttons.

 "No, I mean it," he said, "This isn't even a tie, okay? It's a fucking _bow tie!_ How do you fuck up that badly?" 

 Geoff shrugged, "Give me a break, Burns, some of us can't pull off three piece suits to every occasion."

 "I don't wear them to _every_ occasion," Burnie rolled his eyes, "and they're hardly ever three piece suits."

 Jack watched the exchange with conflicting feelings. On one hand, Burnie was enjoying himself, which was infuriating. On the other hand, Geoff was also enjoying himself, which was a goddamn miracle. She realized, as she caught herself smiling at the ex-couple's antics, it was almost as if nothing had happened between them. When the betrayal wasn't the first thing on their minds it was easy for everyone to slip back into loving roles. Jack couldn't help thinking that.. maybe forgiveness wasn't _impossible_ , if the right amount of regret was shown.

 Perhaps never the same, but would similar be good enough?

 "Jack."

 Jack snapped out of her introspection when Geoff called her, somehow having gotten within whispering range without her noticing.

 "Yeah, yeah? What is it Geoff?"

 "I left something upstairs," he mumbled, glancing at Burnie, who stood by the door, side-eying the two of them, "Could you get it for me?"

 Jack looked him over curiously, "You're legs don't _look_ broken."

 Geoff gave her a pleading look, "Jack, please." He glanced at Burnie.

 Jack sighed, knowing she cared to much not to, and walked upstairs.

 "It's on the middle of the counter, can't miss it!" Geoff called behind her.

 Jack went up to the kitchen in the living area, where the green, speckles countertops they'd picked out together were. The whole thing was nearly covered in a layer of coffee grounds and Jack reminded herself not to let Geoff make coffee ever again.

 Laying on top of the mess, on the center of the counter, was a small folded piece of paper with the name " **JACK"** written on the front in Geoff's messy handwriting.

 Jack looked at it, confused, before she suddenly heard the door downstairs shut with a bang.

 "Geoff!?" She shouted, but there was no response and she eventually turned back to the note in her hand.

 Unfolding the paper, a short note was written on the inside.

 

**PACK ESSENTIALS**

**GRAB CASH**

**BE READY**

 

 

 Ready? Ready for what?

* * *

 

  _ **BANG**_

"JACK!" Geoff kicked in the door, nearly knocking the rusted hinges out of the wood and he looked at Jack with a wild grin.

 "Geoff!" Jack ran around the counter to meet him, "What the fuck happened to you!?"

 Geoff looked extremely worse for wear, his clothes were smoking, he'd lost his jacket and there was blood running down the side of his face from a shallow cut above his left eyebrow. Over his shoulder, he carried a heavy looking bag, the content of which protruded from the cloth at odd angles, it almost looked like..

 "Are those fucking _dabloons_!?" Jack screeched.

 "Huh?" Geoff glanced over his shoulder, "Oh. Yeah, we raided the Grand History Museum. They had a shit ton of these things back in storage! Gus estimated each one is worth a small fortune."

 "Geoff!"

 "But that's not important!" Geoff said, "Did you pack everything? The money? Did you pack snacks? Because it's gonna be a long flight and I know you get cracky when you don't get your Oreos."

 "GEOFF! _WHAT THE **FUCK** IS GOING ON!?!" _Jack yelled, grabbing the man's shoulders and shaking him. Hard, "Where the fuck have you been?! Why did you leave a note!? Why am I packing!? _WHAT FLIGHT_!!?"

 Geoff's grin doubled in size, "I crossed Burns. Stole a helicopter and made off with over half the loot! We're fucking over now, I'm leaving the Cockbites!"

 " _ **YOU WHAT!??!?"**_ Jack could hardly bring herself to believe her own ears, "GEOFF! You're going to be killed!! You can't cross Burnie Burns like that! He'll have your head on a _pike_!"

 "He can damn well try!" Geoff practically crowed, "We'll be long gone before he gets the chance though. We're going to be half way to Achievement City before anyone even knows I didn't go back to headquarters! Far out of Cockbite territory!"

 Jack stared at Geoff numbly, her eyes wide with shock as she sputtered to find an answer to the statement.

 She finally managed to rasp out a hoarce, "W-we?"

 "Absolutely!" Geoff said with utmost confidence, "I'm starting fresh, I'm not gonna take a back seat this time when it comes to turning the place inside out, but I'm still gonna need a second. Who better than my favorite drinking buddy?"

 "A-and if I say no?" She said curiously.

 "Are you planning to?" He asked, looking like a peacock with how cocksure that eyebrow raise was. Jack wanted to simultaneously punch him in the face and Pat him on the back.

 "The shits upstairs." She pointed up the steps and both her and Geoff drug their luggage into the awaiting helicopter sloppily parked on the road outside.

 "Good Lord," Jack breathed, checking the landing gear before takeoff, "now I know why you need me, this is the work landing I've ever seen!"

 "You can chew me out however you like when we're in the air and I can't hear you," Geoff teased.

 Jack hopped in the cockpit with one last look at her bar, the one she'd spent years caring for, the one she'd met Geoff in, "You better not make me regret this, Ramsey." She whispered before turning the engine.

 "I won't!" Geoff moved up front to put a hand on her arm, "We're gonna go to my old home, we're gonna clear out some territory. We'll take over the city and you'll live like a fucking queen of crime like you fucking deserve!"

 Jack smirked, "You gonna buy me a crown!?" She shouted over the wind with a cheeky smile.

 Geoff laughed, "Yeah! A real nice one made of all your favorite things. Cats, beer and video games! Now get us outta here before we get shot down!"

 Jack was a good pilot, she was an even better judge of character, except maybe when it came to Burns, but she just knew Geoff was going to hold himself to every one of those promises.

 There was a sudden shout in the back and Jack worried they'd been shot at, but then Geoff came back into veiw dragging a straggly, brown haired boy with him, who cawed insults at him.

 "LEMME GO! LEMME GO! GEOFF! BASTAWRD! GET OFF!"

 " _Gavin_!?!" Jack exclaimed, shocked.

 "What the fuck are you doing, idiot?!" Geoff shouted, looking crossly at the boy, "You were supposed to stay in the van!"

 "I- oi saw you sneakin out and snuck in the storage bench when ya wereh stahtin it! I 'eard everythin Geoff! Please! Take me with you!"

 "Absolutely not!" Geoff scowled at his young protogé, "You're much safer with Burns! We're going to be building a gang from the ground up! You have no idea how dangerous it's going to be, you weren't around when we were building up Cockbites, you've _seen_ the scars on Barbara!"

 "No! Oi don' cawre! Gavin begged, desperate years falling down his face, " _Dad_! Please! Let me help!"

 Geoff, knowing his weakness for Gavin's crocodile tears, looked to Jack for support.

 She looked him in the eye, and shattered all trust in her helping the situation when she shrugged, "It's not like we can throw him out of the chopper!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of either doing a Ray intro or a Ryan focus, what would y'all be into?
> 
> Maybe Geoff's betrayal from Gav's POV? That may be cool. But I'm probably not gonna do that one next. I've spent too much time on this part as it is.
> 
> Also AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHJHHHHHHHHHJHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
> 
> Probably gonna look this over in the morning and edit like SHIT. God I need a beta.
> 
> See y'all


End file.
